Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Revisions to a Currently Approved Collection

AGENCY:

Office on Violence Against Women, Department of Justice.

ACTION:

60-Day notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until October 16, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Written comments and/or suggestion regarding the items contained in this notice, especially the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be directed to Cathy Poston, Office on Violence Against Women, at 202-514-5430 or Catherine.poston@usdoj.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Overview of This Information Collection

(1) Type of Information Collection: Revisions to a currently approved collection.

(2) Title of the Form/Collection: Semiannual Progress Report for the Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department of Justice sponsoring the collection: Form Number: 1122-0006. U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: The affected public includes 200 grantees from the Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program (ICJR Program) (also known as Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders) which encourages state, local, and tribal governments and state, local, and tribal courts to treat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as serious violations of criminal law requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system. Eligible applicants are states and territories, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, coalitions, victim service providers and state, local, tribal, and territorial courts.

OVW is proposing revisions to the progress reporting form to reflect statutory changes as a result of the reauthorization of VAWA grant programs in 2013 which added nine new purpose areas: training prosecutors; improving the response of the criminal justice system to immigrant victims; developing and promoting legislation and policies to enhance best practices for responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; developing Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner programs; developing Sexual Assault Response Teams or similar CCRs to sexual assault; improving investigation and prosecution of sexual assault and treatment of victims; providing HIV testing, counseling, and prophylaxis for victims; addressing sexual assault evidence backlogs including notifying and involving victims; and developing multi-disciplinary high-risk teams for reducing domestic violence and dating violence homicides.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply: It is estimated that it will take the approximately 200 respondents (ICJR Program grantees) approximately one hour to complete a semi-annual progress report. The semi-annual progress report is divided into sections that pertain to the different types of activities in which grantees may engage. An ICJR Program grantee will only be required to complete the sections of the form that pertain to its own specific activities (victim services, law enforcement, training, etc.).

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: The total annual hour burden to complete the data collection forms is 400 hours, that is 200 grantees completing a form twice a year with an estimated completion time for the form being one hour.

If additional information is required contact: Melody Braswell, Deputy Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE., 3E, 405B, Washington, DC 20530.